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Whitestone
Whitestone The Kingdom of the West is known for its gorgeous architecture and for nurturing art in all of its forms. The rich and the noble are often highly educated and even commoners have a keen ear for songs and poetry. Their diplomats are renowned for their political capacity, in spite of being somewhat long-winded, a characteristic not entirely appreciated by those of a more practical approach to life. Nowadays, Whitestone is often sought to intervene even in foreign politics, given the peaceful nature and soothing disposition of its people, who have been responsible for averting armed conflict in several occasions, most of which had the ashlanders involved. Many question how long they will be able to keep this up, arguing that the ashlanders' gratitude for Whitestone ending The Holy Oracular War and saving them will not last forever. Whitestone is second only to Seaside when it comes to business in The Ring. Unlike their southern neighbors, however, whistestoneans do not trade so much in food, as in arts and crafts. The only remarkable exception is chocolate, which they produce from the raw cocoa sold to them by the seasiders. Their land, however, is not at all infertile. It brings forth the most tender apples, pears and peaches of the realm and is known for producing a wide range of vegetables. There is a respectable amount of cattle, comprised mostly of cows, in the area close to The Ring. The kingdom is divided into three main regions: the outskirts, the capital and the coast. The Outskirts The outskirts are the largest region of Whitestone, which warrants it being divided into three smaller areas: the south, the east and the north. Each of those areas is controlled by a powerful family, who is responsible for protecting the land and defending the border. The northern area of the outskirts is of a higher altitude and somewhat colder. It produces some of the best wine of the continent and supplies most of the country with it. House Mandel is the owner of the best vineyards of the region, which, over time, has made it quite influent and powerful enough to train its own military. Several minor families of the region are sworn to it. The frontier with the north is peaceful enough and does not give the whitestoneans much trouble. Some families of the region, however, feel like they belong to Highguard rather than to Whitestone, which has caused much conflict in the past. So far, though, the Mandel have been able to keep it all under control. Its symbol is a golden goblet over a purple field. The eastern area, close to The Ring, is quite bountiful, being responsible for the production of the best fruit of the kingdom. Its woods are peaceful and flowery, being home to a special variety of bee, that is kept by the locals for its delectable honey. As mentioned before, it is also the largest producer of red meat in the kingdom. The frontier with The Ring is mostly free of political problems, but the incidence of theft, robbery and even murder is alarmingly high in the area. For that reason, House Auvray has been granted the right to expand their military to twice the regular number of soldiers a noble house is allowed to maintain, since they are the ones responsible for defending the border and the laws of the kingdom. Its symbol is a tree over a white field. Lastly, the southern area is the warmest part of the realm and the main producer of vegetables and herbs in the country. It is mostly covered with small farms and villages, but it also possesses the best smiths of the realm. The metal they use is mostly imported, however, for the country is quite lacking in iron and bronze. House Osmont is responsible for the region, and all the local families are sworn to it. Its symbol is an anvil over a white field. The Capital The Capital City of Whitestone holds The Marble Palace, the largest and most monumental building ever designed and brought to existence by the hands of men. It was built with whitestonean marble and gold; a combination that few could shun. Tapestry and various statues and paintings complete what is the glory of Whitestone and the pride of its every citizen. House Falcourt has held the throne of Whitestone for almost two hundred years, since the time after the war with the clawmen, when the previous ruling family, House Tremont, was put to death by The Alliance for conspiring with the invaders. The sigil of House Falcourt is a blue falcon on a whilte field, while House Tremont's was a green four-leafed clover on over a white field. The city is the world's capital of the arts, receiving aspiring artists from all over the continent, but especially from The Ring. Here they can find a master with whom to study or even unexpected success as an exponent for some new trend. Its streets are paved and surrounded by lush gardens every few blocks, while its gates stand tall and proud, made from giant oaks from time immemorial. The nearby villages provide the city with food, but the high-born often procure imported delicacies from the south or from the grasslands. The whitestonean court has a very busy routine and it is said to be a viper's nest. The Coast The Coast of Whitestone is a rocky region, mostly unsuited for harbors. There are few ports and none of great importance. Notwithstanding, this is probably the most notorious region of the country, due to the fact that it is from here that famous whitestonean marble is collected. As a consequence, this stripe of land is permeated by quarries that work diligently, day and night, to extract the precious material from the stony walls of the earth. Apart from the few coastal villages dedicated to fishing, the rest of the region's populace is mostly concerned with the marble quarries. The most important family here is House Villon, who owns the greater part of the digging sites. Their sigil is a column on a field of white, for, indeed, they do fancy themselves the pillar that supports the entire whitestonean society. Despite their inflated ego and coin purses, the rest of the region is quite poor and arguably the less educated of all Whitestone. Life is not easy at the coast, unless you are a Villon. Their palace was constructed by master builders from the Capital and it was designed to provide the best view both of the country and of the sea. It is said to be one of the most beautiful buildings ever made by men. Further Information When it comes to art designs, whitestoneans favor intricate geometric patterns. Tapestry, curtains and the like are often made with a variety of colours, but favouring gold. For their clothing, however, the whitestoneans prefer pure white gowns and shirts, although colourful clothing is often used for celebrations. The favoured weapon in the kingdom is the crossbow, paired with a short sword and buckler for whenever close combat is necessary. For their physical description, please refer to Physiological Traits.